United States Marines and Philippine Air Force airmen, on October 9, conducted a subject matter expert exchange (SMEE) on FIM-92 Stinger Man-Portable Air-Defense System (MANPADS) as part of Kaagapay Ng Mga Manirigma Ng Dagat (KAMANDAG) exercise.

US MARINES photo

KAMANDAG, which is in its third iteration, is a bilateral exercise between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States militaries which also features participation from Japan.

The Philippine-led exercise will include military-to-military exchanges between Philippine, Japanese, and American forces, with a focus on improving counterterrorism and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities.

KAMANDAG 3 officially kicked off on October 9. It will involve training in amphibious operations, live fire drills, military operations in urban terrain, reconnaissance, low altitude air defense, aviation operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, combat lifesaving, and other areas.

It will be held until October 18.

KAMANDAG 3 aims to increase overall Philippine and U.S. readiness, improve combined responsiveness to crises in the Indo-Pacific region, and strengthen both countries’ decades-long partnership.